Meet our director

Hi, I’m Carolyn.

I founded The Field School of Hvar, because I believe that schools can be an engine for healthy communities and a powerful instrument for building agency in young people.

I am an American by birth and upbringing, and I now live on Hvar with my partner, who is local, and our young son, who was born in Croatia. We chose to live on Hvar because of the free-range childhood that we felt the island could offer our family. Recognizing that other families - both Croatian and international - share our aspiration for a holistic approach to child development, I began investigating how I could bring together the best possible educational community in our island paradise.

Before coming to Hvar, I began my career in grassroots placemaking, convening a festival of culture and technology that drew 20,000 attendees. I went on to work under the head of operations and fundraising at The Aspen Institute, a global think tank based in Washington, D.C. I am a “double Hoo” with an undergraduate degree in literature and an MBA from the University of Virginia.

Outside of work, home, and learning Croatian, my passions are (as you might expect from the themes in our program) hiking, gardening, and reading. I am extremely grateful for all the wonderful people I have already met on this journey to launch The Field School of Hvar, and look forward to meeting new allies and co-conspirators as we continue onward. If you are inspired by the work we’re doing, please get in touch!

Our Guides

Our program is driven by an experienced group of educators, representing a variety of child-centric philosophies of education.

  • Kinder

    A nature-based Waldorf teacher with a Master’s in Teaching, Laura has been leading young children in interdisciplinary, holistic education for over six years at an Australian beach school.

  • Gardening and Cooking

    Silvija is an acclaimed zero kilometer restauranteur and has led numerous farm-to-table workshops for children, including a “tomato fesitval” which involved over 100 local public school children. She is a mom of 3 and full-time resident of island Hvar.

  • Guide, Kinder

    Claire is a certified Forest School teacher from the UK with 20 years of experience working with young children in emergent, play-based settings. She is also an adult yoga instructor. Claire was part of the Field School’s founding faculty in 2024.

  • Grades

    Sarah is a Montessori educator with over 20 years of experience nurturing children, adolescents and adults including those with special needs. She is a licensed sailing instructor.

  • Excursions

    Raised on Hvar and trained as a marine biologist, Mira is the president of the island’s popular mountaineering society, where she leads rigorous mountaineering schools for children and adults. She is also a certified scuba instructor and holds a boating license. Mira is a key administrator at The Field School of Hvar, as well as a Guide of day and half-day excursions. She is a member of the Field School’s founding faculty.

  • Assistant Guide

    Emily is an outdoor science educator who has taught from the Bahamas to New Zealand. She holds an undergraduate degree in Marine Biology and certifications in diverse water sports, including sailing, boating, diving, and fishing.

  • Grades

    An educator with over 18 years of experience of delivering individualized learning, particularly in maths, across diverse settings and age groups.

Early Childhood Educator, Kelsey Scholer

  • Advisor, Early Childhood

    Kelsey is a seasoned early childhood educator, currently facilitating a forest kindergarden classroom for 3 and 4 year olds while completing her M.Ed in nature-based learning. She was a Field School Guide in 2024.

    Visit her website, Among the Fairies.

Culture & Strategy

The core faculty are supported by seasoned professionals in education, strategy, and design.

Creative Director, Yagmur Ersayin

  • Community Experience

    An accomplished photographer, community manager for global creative networks, brand director and strategist, Yagmur is driving culture design for The Field School of Hvar. She holds dual degrees in Architecture and Arts.

    See her portfolio.

  • PlayLab

    Shannon is the Founder of Hatch Partners in Play, and Co-founder of The Creativity Project, both of which foster and protect equitable access to high quality, open-ended inquiry in childhood. Shannon will be activating a PlayLab at The Field School of Hvar in Session 1 of 2025.

  • Advisor, Secondary School Program

    Currently leading experiential learning at the Buckley School in Los Angeles, Ivan was a 2024 Guide at The Field School and has taught at some of the world’s most innovative and prestigious institutions.

  • Advisor, Board Development

    Currently a Director of Deal Management at EY-Parthenon, Fotini began her career as a Fulbright Fellow and holds an MBA from the Georgetown McDonough School of Business. She is donating her time to help The Field School of Hvar build its first advisory board.

  • Culture Design

    A digital anthropologist and strategic leader with over a decade of experience running global innovation labs with some of the world’s best loved brands, Katie is donating her time to hone The Field School of Hvar’s parent and community experience.